Easy Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe
I love eating salmon, but only when it is raw sashimi style or when it is baked or grilled perfectly. There is nothing worse to me than a dry salmon fillet that gets stuck in the throat after every morsel. The technique for baking salmon is super easy and salmon serves as a winner option for a dinner on que that will please your family and guests. A while ago I have posted the easy fusion salmon which is a super meal, healthy and fast to prepare, from start to finish under 30 minutes. If salmon was on the menu Please follow the baking instructions from the fusion salmon but feel free to use any spice or herb toppings you like, it will be perfect every time as long as you follow the guidelines. You might say:” what shall I do with the left over fish”. I say:” follow this easy recipe which is perfect for recycling salmon”. Last Thursday I had friends over for a farewell dinner, there were several dishes I prepared and amongst them was a whole baked salmon fillet 1.7 KG. I seasoned it lightly with garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper and salt, then toped it with a mixture of olive oil and churned butter and baked it. The result was amazing, simple flavors that helped the star ingredient shine without over powering it. Off course I was left with a little amount of the salmon which is not enough on its own so whenever this is the case our lunch on the Friday is this easy pasta which is devoured to the last flake.
Before jumping to the recipe I would like to share a short story with you. I love going to the Dubai water front fish market which is note everyone’s cup of tea but for me once I get over the smell of fish the buzz I get is amazing. I love to haggle in order to get the best price as this is an Arab characteristic I can’t seem to shed, the whole shopping experience is more exciting this way. Getting back to the story one of the vendors wanted to sell me what he claims is fresh hamour (grouper) fish. He agreed to a price I suggested immediately and picked up a fish to bag for me, my alarm bells went off, there was no haggling over the price and he was eager to bag the fish without me inspecting it. I know when fish is fresh or not just by looking at it then observing the gills and touching it will confirm my suspicion. I asked him to stop and show me the gills and he said;” No, no, fresh fish”. At this point my bells were on full alert, I loathe cheaters and I am sure most of you feel the same. I snapped the fish from his hands and just the touch of the skin was enough, I took one peak at the gills and they had nothing to do with any shade of pink or red. My only regret is that I did not take the stall number and report him to the management of the water front market. For this reason I want to share with you again some guidelines to help you choose your fish wisely.
How to choose fish:
I have been asked times and times over and over again how to choose fish. I am thrilled to share with you below the most important signs to look for when picking a fish to ensure maximum freshness.
1. Look for fish that has shiny skin and firm scales.
2. The flesh should be firm and bounce back when pressed with the finger.
3. The eyes should be clear and not cloudy.
4. There should not be a strong fishy smell and no slime on the body.
5. The gills should be dry, slime free and bright red or pink in color.
Ingredients:
Servings: 5-6
500 grams baked salmon
400 milliliters cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
500 grams linguine pasta
Method:
* Remove the skin and flake the salmon into medium size pieces and set aside.
* Pour the cream into a pan and add the salmon, garlic powder, pepper and adjust the salt.
* Simmer 10 minutes on low.
* Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet in a pot of well salted water. When done al dente drain and toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and mix in the parsley.
* Serve with homemade chili oil.
Tips:
* You can use any type of past that is available in your larder.
* If you are dairy intolerant use almond milk with a splash of lemon to help it become creamy as it cooks.
Per Serving : 572 Calories; 21g Fat (33.5% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 65g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 102mg Cholesterol; 87mg Sodium.